Ferry-landing mechanism.



H. T. GOSS.

FERRY LANDING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION'IILED JULY 29, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914,

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WITNESSES H. T. GOSS.

FERRY LANDING MECHANISM. rpmonxon FILED JULY 29, 1913. 1,09 1,835, Patented'Mar. 31, 1914.

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INVENTOI? ATTORNEY APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1913.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

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TE STATES PA FERRY-LANDING MECHANISM.

Application filed. July 29, 1913.

1/ 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IIARRY T. Goss, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Rutherford, county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ferry Landing li lechanism, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to ferry landings and docks, and particularly to such as are provided with pivoted gang-plank structures which are adapted to be positively secured in an elevated position when not in use.

One object of my invention is to provide a simple and durable mechanism of such a character that when elevated it may be readily released from its outer end and lowered to the deck of a boat by a deck hand on the boat.

Other objects and advantages will be set forth hereinafter.

I will describe my invention in the following specification, and then point out the novel features thereof in appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a ferry landing showing a portion of a ferryboat which is secured thereto. A side elevation on a larger scale of a gang-plank with a device embodying my invention is shown in Fig. 2 in its elevated position. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively a plan view and an elevation looking at its outer end of the gang-plank of Fig. 2. A modified structure also embodying my invention is shown in Fig. 5 which is a view corresponding to Fig. 3. This arrangement is more fully illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, which respectively correspond to Figs. 2 and 4 of the structure of the preceding figures.

Two different arrangements have been selected to illustrate my invention. The first. of these, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, comprises a latch 30 which is pivoted at 31 on the plank and is adapted to engage a ledge 32 on an extension 33 of the gangway 12 when the plank occupies its elevated position. Operatively connected to the latch by means of a link 34 is a bell crank lever 35 having a handle 36 which extends slightly beyond the outer end of the plank so that it may be readily grasped by an attendant standing on the deck of a boat at Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 31, 1914.

Serial No. 781,772.

the landing. The bell crank lever is acted upon by a spring 37 which tends to hold it at one extremity of its pivotal movement about the point 38, which movement is limited by a slotted sector 39 or other suitable means through. which one arm of the lever extends. The arrangement of parts is such that the latch is normally held in its locked position, but is thrown back automatically m opposition to the spring when the plank is moving into its elevated position. The latch then snaps into place and holds the plank until the latch is again released by a downward movement of the handle 36. I prefer that the plank shall be slightly overbalanced at its outer end in order that it may move downwardly as soon as the latch is released, It then requires a comparatively small lifting force to be applied at its outer end in raising the plank.

The operation of the device will be obvious from the foregoing description.

The extension 33 may constitute a single arm, but preferably consists of two arms located on the respective sides of the gang plank, a pair of latches 30 being secured to the respective ends of a shaft 31 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

In the modification illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the extension 33 of the gangway 12 is replaced by an overhead extension 40 which may either be a separate beam arranged to rise and fall with the gangway as shown in Fig. 6, or it may resemble a crane arm and be a rigid extension of the gangway 12. Pivotally secured to the member 40 at 41 is an arm 42, the outer end of which is operatively connected to the gang-plank 14 by means of a link 43. This link ispivoted at 44 on the plank and at 45 on the arm 42. It does not interfere with the raising and lowering of the plank. When the position of the plank is changed the arm is swung about its pivotal point 41 and is guided in its movement by a strap 46 projecting downwardly from the member 40. The latch 50 is also pivoted at the point 45 and is adapted to hook onto a stop or ledge 51 on the member 40 when the plank occupies its elevated position and thereby secures the plank in such position. The latch has a limited pivotal movement in the usual way and is acted upon by a spring 52. It is in the form of a bell crank lever and has a laterally extending arm 53 from which is suspended a re leasing rod 54 to the lower end of which is secured a handle 55. The rod 5% is guided by straps 56 on the link 4L3 and the handle 55 is readily accessible to an attendant standing on the deck of a boat. The downward pull by the attendant is sufficient to overbalance the plank and move it to its lowered position when released and when a boat is departing from the bridge it is only necessary for the attendant to raise the outer end of the plank in order that the latch may snap over the stop 51. A single set of parts 40 to 46 inclusive, and 50, may be employed or they may be duplicated on the respective sides of the gang-plank as shown in Fig. 7 In this case a single shaft 58 is'substituted for the pivot 45.

.Variations in size and arrangement of parts in the structures illustrated and other modifications of my invention may be effected within its scope, and I intend that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

According to the usual practice the outer end of the gang plank 14 may be provided with a pivoted toe or flap 14 which insures a closer fit between the end of the gang plank and the deck of the boat.

What I claim is:

1. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated'position and a lowered position, a relatively stationary member, a latch operatively connected to the gang-plank outwardly beyond its point of pivot, and means on the relatively stationary member adapted to be engaged by the latch when the plank is in its elevated position.

2. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a pivoted gang-plank adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position, a relatively stationary member to which the plank is connected, a latch operatively connected to the gang-plank outwardly beyond its point of pivot, and means on the relatively stationary member adapted to be engaged by the latch when the plank is in its elevated position.

3. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a gangway adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position, a gangplank pivotally secured near the outer end of the gangway, said gangway having projections extending materially beyond the point of pivot of the plank, a latch pivotally mounted on the plank and adapted to engage the outer end of the gangway extension when the plank is elevated, and means extending to the outer end of the plank and operable from the deck of a boat for releasing the latch.

4. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a gangway having an extension, a gangplank pivotally mounted on the gangway near its outer end extending beyond the extension and adapted to occupy an elevated and a lowered position, a latch pivotally mounted on the gang-plank and means on the gangway extension adapted to be engaged by the latch when the plank is in its raised position, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted on the plank near its outer end, on eratively connected to the latch and adapted to be actuated from the deck of a boat to release the latch.

5. A ferry landing mechanism comprising a gangway, a gang-plank pivotally mounted thereon near its outer end adapted to occupy an elevated position and a lowered position, a latch adapted to secure the plank in its eley ated position, and means for releasing the latch, said latch and said means being located outwardly beyond the pivotal axis of the plank.

In testimony whereof, I hat e hereunto set my hand this 26 day of July, 1913, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY T. GOSS. lVitnesses JOSEPHINE A. YOUNG, HAUD EDGAR.

(topics of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

